Francis, Swan, Hovis victors Tuesday

Missouri House Representative election victors Tuesday included incumbents Rick Francis and Kathy Swan, and newcomer Barry Hovis.

District 146

Republican Barry Hovis replaced term-limited state Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, with 15,264 votes � nearly 82 percent. Gayla Dace received 3,373 votes.

The legislative district covers most of Cape Girardeau County, including Jackson.

Hovis, who lives near Gordonville, said Missouri needs �good, safe roads� for travel and to support businesses, including agriculture.

Kathy Swan

District 147

Republican state Rep. Kathy Swan retained her 147th House seat with 8,601 votes � nearly 65 percent � pursuing her fourth, two-year term. Opponent Renita Green received 4,667 votes.

Swan of Cape Girardeau was first elected to the House seat in 2012. She owns JCS Wireless telecommunications company.

She formerly served on the Cape Girardeau City Council and the local school board. She wants to repeal the prevailing-wage law, and opposed the �Clean Missouri� initiative that would change how legislative districts are drawn in the state.

Swan said the biggest challenge annually is the constitutionally required task to adopt a balanced budget.

Rick Francis

District 145

For the second time in two years, Republican state Rep. Rick Francis faced an election contest from Democrat Ronald Pember of Fredericktown, Missouri and won by a landslide, with 11,379 votes from Bollinger, Perry and Madison counties � 82 percent. Pember received 2,445 votes.

A retired educator and farmer, Francis believes the biggest challenges facing Missouri to be the lack of broadband access and a shortage of trained workers, he said.

Pember, who lost in a three-way race with Francis and Constitution Party candidate Victoria �Tori� Proffer two years ago, has been in poor health and did not actively campaign this fall.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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